AN eight-year-old boy was witness yesterday to the murder of Donna George, whose throat was slit as she lay in bed at the family's home at St Mary's Village, Moruga.

The boy was told by the killer to go tell the neighbours what had happened.

When police arrived, they found the 49-year-old suspect sitting in a hammock in the front yard of the home, awaiting their arrival.

The woman's body was found covered by a bed sheet.

George, a 48-year-old CEPEP worker, and her suspected killer were in a relationship for 30 years, the Express was told, but the man learned recently that George was unfaithful.

The suspect, who has two children from a previous relationship, told a relative last week "if anything happens here, take care of the property".

However, no one in the village foresaw yesterday's violence, describing the suspect as respectable and decent, affectionate to his victim, and a man who spent much of his spare time hunting in the Moruga forest.

George's stepson, Anton Monsegue, who lives nearby, told the Express: "I got a call this morning around 7 a.m. that (the suspect) now slit my stepmother's throat. When I came, I found him sitting down in the hammock so I ask him what happen. He said he just kill her and that he fed up. I asked if it happen in a quarrel. He didn't say."

Monsegue said the suspect "just sat there waiting until the police came. Before they took him, he told me to clean up the house and take care of his five hunting dogs".

A neighbour, who was one of the first on the scene, said: "This was so shocking because this man was never in trouble before. He would work, come home to his woman and the dogs.

"Just the other day, we saw (the suspect and victim) hugging up and walking on the road. Something very bad would have made him trip off."

Police said the man, who worked with the Agriculture Ministry's reforestation project, had no known criminal record and relatives said he was looking forward to his retirement and benefits in two years' time.

The eight-year-old boy was taken into protective custody.

The suspect was in custody at the South Division Homicide office in San Fernando last night.